


Coup de Chance

by Shiranui



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Awkward First Times, CLICHES ALL AROUND, Canon Compliant, Cheesy, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Identity Reveal, LadyNoir - Freeform, Later drama and angst, Marichat, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Friendship, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Switched Bodies, cliches, idk how to tag I give up, ladrien
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-11 17:59:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7064083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiranui/pseuds/Shiranui
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"So then I guess you must feel great since you're in my body now, huh, Chaton."</p><p>Nothing like really getting to know someone by literally walking in their shoes.  </p><p>"WAIT, THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"</p><p>You know, by switching bodies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Miraculous Ladybug or any of its characters!  
> I hope you decide to stay with me on this journey, and I'll try to make it worth it every chapter. :3
> 
> Also, a note on their characters. Picture a Ladybug with a Chat Noir personality and a Chat Noir with a Ladybug personality...And then a Marinette with an Adrien personality and an Adrien with a Marinette personality. But they didn't switch personalities, they switched souls. So they're in each other's bodies. But their voices remained unchanged. So virtually, no one can tell.
> 
> The hard part is trying not to get lost with the actions. Whenever they're doing something, I'm going to use their original names. So from now on, it'll be like "Marinette ran a hand through her blonde locks." It's Marinette, but she's in Adrien's body, so of course I have to describe it as if it's her body. BARE WITH ME, I'M SORRY, I know it's going to get confusing. *sobs*

Ladybug and Chat Noir have a number of wins under their belts against the Akumatized.  They've seen all sorts of strange powers manifested from their emotions and all sorts of people manipulated into trying to steal their Miraculous.  This was supposed to be another day, another disturbance, another smooth victory, another purified Akuma, another fist bump, and that it would be it.  Ladybug would return home, where she'd return to being Marinette.

Not return home as Chat Noir.

Not go home as...whoever Chat Noir was behind his mask.

She looked at her larger, leather-clad hands.  Ladybug flexed them and curled them into fists, willing herself to calm down.  She pinched her cheeks to make sure she wasn't dreaming.  The pain caused by her clawed fingers only reassured her the worst.

"Be careful with the meow-chandise, my lady," Chat Noir feigned a whine and whipped out his new weapon, "You're only renting it!"  When he failed to get even a sound from her, he pouted.  

"It's okay. I'm sure once we defeat the Akuma, we'll be back in our original bodies."

She was jolted out of her trance when she felt a feminine hand grip her shoulder comfortingly. Ladybug's gaze moved from the red-clad, slender wrist to the face she's known her whole life.

Her own.

"Yeah," She exhaled, her voice strained, "You're right. We just have to beat the Akuma and everything will go back to normal."  The tension seemed to alleviate as the words left her mouth.

"Am I ever wrong? Besides, we have Lady Luck on our side."  Chat Noir purred as he spun his newly acquired yo-yo around.  He flashed his trademark Cheshire grin.  "Moi."  It seemed so out of character on her face, but Ladybug saw all of his familiar spirit in it and couldn't help but relieved by his calmness.

**THONK!**

"Ow!"  Chat Noir rubbed the side of his head, glaring at the red, round object that hit it. 

"Anyway," Ladybug whipped out the metal staff and, with a snap, elongated it to its combat length.  She stared at her new reflection in the weapon and saw the messy blonde locks, the golden complexion, and the black leather mask over her jade eyes.

She really was in Chat Noir's body.

The reality of it snapped into place inside her mind as her grip tightened.

 _Well then_ , She thought as she glanced back up at their opponent with a renewed determination, _If I'm going to be Chat Noir, I'll be a darn good one._

"Let's focus on defeating the Akuma and get back to our bodies before our transformation runs out."

But there was this gut feeling that was pooling inside of her like black tar.  That foreboding feeling gripped her heart, that inkling in the back of her mind that this wasn't going to be easily solved with a miracle.  She glanced at Chat, who, as usual, looked ready to take the Akuma head on.

He was focused on the now, not the later.

All she saw on his face was determination.  

 _Her_ determination.

She thrummed her fingers across the metal and spread her legs into a fighting stance.  Even though she was in Chat Noir's body, she was still the confident Ladybug.  "Alright, Chat," He looked at her as she continued, "You need to be ready to catch the Akuma and purify it."

As if on cue, the said Akuma appeared before them.

"A-and, how do I purify it, bugaboo..."  If Chat Noir was actually as worried as she was, this was the only time it seemed to peak through his bravado.  Ladybug smiled.

"You'll just know."

"That's not very helpful advice- Wait!"  Chat reached out towards his body, which had already leaped towards the Akuma while twirling the staff expertly.

"Aim for the mirror, Chat!"  Ladybug called out over her shoulder before she turned back to face the Akuma.  She let out a battle cry, swinging the metal rod at the mirror.  The Akuma, the Échanger, disappeared in a shimmer of light and appeared farther away.

Chat gulped and swung the yo-yo, only to have it bounce off something nearby and wrap around him completely.  "You make this look so easy..."  He grunted as he began to hurriedly untangle himself.  He looked at Ladybug, who seemed to be swinging the staff as if she'd been using it for years, and then back down at his yo-yo.  He shook his head furiously and worked harder at unraveling the string.

Ladybug jumped once more and landed on a roof top, a couple feet away from the Échanger.  He was perched on a chimney, watching her warily and holding the ornate, circle mirror in front of his stomach.  It was radiating with a familiar darkness that reeked of Hawkmoth.  She slowly walked towards him with the end of her rod pointed at him, appearing like a predator warily watching its prey's movement.

_**"Ladybug."** _

She halted in her footsteps, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  Her newly acquired cat ears twitched. But her golden eyes were ever watchful.

"Have you ever wanted to be someone else?"  He continued as he stroked the mirror.  Her eyes moved to look at the image reflected in it; that was probably who the Akuma was before he switched bodies.  The expression was sad, withdrawn, and weary for someone so young.  Moving her focus back to the man holding it, she began walking to him once more.

"I wanted him to be me," The Échanger growled, "Because he didn't understand.  He didn't understand what it was like to be in my shoes! He didn't know what it was like to be bullied. To not have friends." His voice gradually raised in volume and finally cracked at his confession,

"To not have a family!"

Ladybug flinched at the anguish that was seeping through his voice.

"I didn't care about being him.  I didn't really want anything he had.  Because none of it would ever really be mine.  His parents would never be mine, because they would think I was him.  I just..."  He gripped the mirror tightly, his face morphing back from sadness to anger, "I just wanted him to know what I was going through.  To understand."  He looked back up from his mirror to meet her cautious gaze.

She blinked, and all of sudden, the Échanger was standing right in front of her and holding the mirror up to her face.  Her golden eyes could not escape from staring at the reflection; her reflection or a reflection of who Chat Noir truly is, she wasn't sure.

But all she saw was an expression of sadness and loneliness that did not seem to fit the normally cheerful feline's face.

"How can partners get along if they don't truly understand each other?"

Ladybug's gaze moved from the mirror back to the Échanger's face, whose smirk was growing with each passing second.

_**"Do you truly understand Chat Noir, Ladybug?"** _

"Do you understand, my lady?"

The Échanger cursed as the unbreakable yo-yo string wrapped around his body.  "Gah! You..."  She whipped around to see Chat on nearby roof, keeping a steady grip on the Akuma.  The heels of his feet were being dragged across the rooftop paneling.  When there eyes met, he winked.

"My love for you that is. Catch!"

Ladybug shook herself out of the train of thoughts that Échanger started in her head and caught the item in her hand.  It was a mirror. "What is this?"

"Ugh. It's the Lucky Charm object I got."  Chat Noir grunted as he pulled.  "Have any ideas?"

After gathering his wits, the Échanger phased out of the yo-yo and put a safe distance between himself and the two heroes.  "Nice try, Ladybug...or should I say, Chat Noir."  The said hero made a sound of frustration as he retracted the yo-yo back to his hand.

His partner, on the other hand, was looking around for an idea.  "A mirror? A mirror..."  Her eyes squinted as she looked up and lifted a hand to block it.  "...Aha."  She jumped and landed right besides her body, whose focus remained on the Akuma that seemed ready to teleport away.  "Chat.  Find a good spot to reflect the sunlight into his eyes.  The second you're going to do it, give me the signal."

"Got it."

And with that, Chat Noir jumped away and Ladybug ran straight towards the Échanger.

The Akuma smirked.  "What's this? Did you finally realize that you two can't work together-"

"Ladybug, now!"

"What?"  The Échanger looked at the source of the cry and was immediately blinded, the light directly reflected onto his face.  Ladybug extended the staff and hit the mirror up out of his grasp.  "No!"

She grinned and adjusted her grip so that she was holding the rod like a baseball bat.   **"HAH!"**  Swinging it with full strength, she shattered the mirror into pieces. "Chat! It's your turn!"

"I got it! I think?"  He gripped the yo-yo and gulped, "Uh, like this?"  He slid his finger across it, and almost immediately, a bright light burst forth. "Time to purify!"  After swinging it enough to gain momentum, he shot the yo-yo out and easily caught the tainted butterfly inside it.  After the click, he ran his finger over the yo-yo once more and released the purified Akuma.  "See you, pretty papillon."  He murmured, watching it fly away towards the sun.

"Good job, Chat. You're a natural."  Ladybug smiled as she held up her fist.  Chat Noir grinned and held up his own to meet hers.  "Now, for the grand finale." He nodded and clutched the mirror with his free hand.

" _ **Miraculous**_..." He tossed the polka dotted mirror into the sky and cried, " **LADYBUG**!"

On cue, the swarm of shimmering ladybugs came bursting forth, wrapping themselves around the Lucky Charm before spreading out like waves over the city.  Ladybug watched as the light began to rain upon the streets.  People were running to any form of reflection, whether it was the window or a car mirror, and yelling in happiness at the sight of their original faces.  One wave was going straight towards the duo, whose fist bump was still locked in place as though for reassurance.  As the light swirled around them like a tornado, the heroes looked and smiled comfortingly at each other.

Ladybug slowly closed her eyes.

When I open them, she silently prayed as she bit her lip, I'll be looking at Chat Noir from my own body.

She felt the final gust of wind whip around her and heard the fluttering of their tiny wings echo in the distance until a peaceful silence settled in its place.  The only thing she heard was her muscles moving as she gulped.  Unable to hold it together any longer, she opened her eyes and

found herself staring at her worried face.

**_Beep._ **

Chat Noir flinched and looked at the paw that was blinking dangerously on the Miraculous ring, which was on her finger.

_**Beep.** _

Ladybug stared at the last black polka dot that was threatening to disappear from the Miraculous earring, which was on his ear.

_**Beep.** _

"Uh oh."

At that moment, Ladybug realized two things:

(1) that it would take a miracle to bring back them back to their former bodies and

(2) that they were going to find out each other's identities, whether they liked it or not.

But she didn't realize the third.

(3) That this was the stroke of luck that would bring them even closer together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Yeah, sorry that was short. Oh, and that the fight was cheesy. But, it was a prologue, and I have to prepare myself for future chapters. Anyway, I was going to show a preview about the reveal but...I thought it would be more fun to show the beginnings of Marinette and Adrien trying to cover up for each other.
> 
> Next Chapter Preview!
> 
> "Alright, if you can somehow teach me your current proficiency in Chinese, your natural modelling skills, and your fencing, then maybe, JUST MAYBE it won't be that hard." Marinette was already freaking out, and she knew that was an obvious sign that there was something wrong with the usually calm Adrien that everyone thought was her.
> 
> "It's okay, we'll start off easy. Maybe sitting next to each other in class will help?" Adrien offered.
> 
> "...Do you think Nino and Alya are really going to sit there quietly when we ask them if we could sit next each other?" Marinette shook her head and groaned at the sudden reminder of another blonde classmate, "And then I can only imagine the things Chloe will say to you-"
> 
> "Huh? Why? What's the problem with Nino and Alya?"
> 
> Marinette squinted her eyes at him before face palming herself. "...N-Nevermind." Now how does one keep best friends from talking to each other?


	2. Soir de Paris

The stress skyrocketed the second she had heard that first beep. Her knees had hit the ground when she heard the second beep. She felt the wires in her brain disconnecting and reconnecting to somehow reset her mind.  She felt the cogs and gears begin to turn frantically in working to reevaluate the whole situation and find some sort of solution. Then, she felt everything crash and burn and now she was left with nothing in her head when she heard the third-

**Beep.**

"It looks like we have no choice."

Ladybug felt someone tug at her wrist.

"How close is your house from here?"

Ladybug blinked once. Twice. She was still staring at her own body, whose expression was a cross between concerned and comforting; concerned in that he looked more worried about her than he was about himself and comforting in that he was still smiling for her sake despite their circumstances. She gripped his wrist and was pulled onto her feet. Chat Noir dusted the dirt off her knees while she stayed in her stunned state.

She looked around and saw the tip of the Eiffel Tower nearby. They were in the 7th arrondissement. "Pretty far. I live in the 21st arrondissement." Ladybug sighed. The best they could do now was make sure no one else knew their identity besides each other.

"Okay, I guess I live the closest." Chat Noir grinned and whipped out his yo-yo once more. "Let's go to my house- NYAOW!" He found himself helpless and easily swept off his feet. His whole body stiffened and his face started to warm at the realization that THE Ladybug was holding him effortlessly like a princess.

"Lead the way, Chaton."

The blush on his face deepened in color when she readjusted her grip on him, causing his nose to nearly graze her jawline. When he failed to make a coherent response, she glanced at him and smiled with feigned innocence.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

Chat Noir gulped and used every muscle in his throat to prevent himself from squealing. It didn't matter that it was his face saying it. Just being this close to her, being carried by her, having her say a line Chat Noir would appreciate-

_Oh man, too much for a fanboy to handle._

But, as Chat Noir, of course he had to match up to her playfulness. He wrapped his arms around her neck and pressed his cheek to hers. "No, but a cat got yours." And he stuck his tongue out.

...

Ladybug raised an eyebrow.  "...Did you leave all your decent jokes behind in your body?"  Chat Noir feigned a sob and hid his face in her shoulder as she continued, "Anyway, quick, you have to lead us to your house."

A familiar, large complex surrounded by a tall enclosure caught her eye.

_'Oh, Adrien lives near here-'_

"It's over there."

Ladybug blinked once, following the length of his arm.

She blinked twice after she was the direction his delicate finger was pointing in:

Exactly where she was looking.

_'I think after today, I need to get these eyes checked.''_

"You live at the Agreste Mansion...?" She reaffirmed, nearly losing her grip on him.  Her fight-or-flight system was activated, with every fiber in her being ready to do the latter.  Her body felt it was on fire, all of her feline instincts screaming at her to drop him off and high-tail it from being forced to acknowledge the facts.  Her mind had already pieced the information together, whether had wanted to or not.

There was only one person who could be Chat Noir living there.

Ladybug pushed all thoughts aside and focused on getting into Adrien's mansion. The first objective was to not be seen detransforming by anyone else. After they safely got inside, she could sort her mind out once there was space between the two of them. The worry of what he'd think once he found out Ladybug's true identity, the anxiousness of how their dynamic might change from knowing each other's identity, the girlish excitement from having been and being so close to Adrien, the horrifying...ness of having responsibility for his body.

"You got really quiet. I'm guessing you know the Agreste family?"

Using the cat-like reflexes in her legs, she pushed hard on roof to land themselves on the ledge in front of the open window she figured was his usual entrance and exit as Chat Noir. She noticed that he was no longer looking at her and keeping his head lowered. Ladybug shrugged as nonchalantly as she could and replied sheepishly,

"Well, who doesn't know the Agreste family?"

"Mmm...And," He took in a deep, shaky breath, "what do you know about us?"

"Hm," Ladybug hummed thoughtfully, her cat ears twitching. "I know about Adrien Agreste. I've personally experienced his kindness." She felt him relax a bit in her arms.

"Personally? How?" Now Chat Noir could not contain his curiosity as he leaned closer.

She smiled and carefully set him down on his feet. Holding a clawed hand out, she flashed her best Chat Noir-like grin and smoothly avoided the question. "Ladies first."

"...Ha. Ha. Very funny, bugaboo."

Ladybug giggled and helped him climb in before following in swiftly.

**Beep.**

She saw the tips of her pawed feet glow a neon green before the shimmering glow spread upwards. As it traveled up, it revealed the familiar, blood-orange (unpretentious sounding because it's Agreste-branded) shoes and blue jeans. The neon green light enveloped her hands and she watched the Miraculous fade from a shiny black to a normal, silver ring. Her gaze remained glued to it, refusing to look up out of the fear that she'd accidentally see her reflection and solidify the fact that she was in Adrien Agreste's body.

Marinette could see the pink flats in her peripherals.

"...Even if you already have an idea of who I am, I think it's fair if we reveal each other's identity at the same time, no?" She heard him chuckle sheepishly, but she heard the slight tremor of nervousness in his tone. Marinette could only nod as she followed the heels of his feet towards the bathroom, her fear keeping any words or sounds she could make lodged in her throat. She assumed that they were finally standing in front of a mirror when he came to a stop.

"Alright. On the count of three, we both look up." Adrien gulped and steadied his breathing, trying his best to hold in his excitement.

He was finally meeting the girl of his dreams face-to-face.

Without the mask.

Except, well, he's borrowing her face for the moment.

"Okay." She breathed out, her heart beginning to pound against her chest; she was silently praying that the thumping wasn't resounding in the room.

"1."

_Please don't be disappointed in me._

"2."

 _Please don't be afraid of me._  
  
"3."

_Please don't hate me._

They both looked up.

Marinette slammed her palms on the marble and leaned forward, squinting her eyes scrutinizingly. Hair like sunlight. Eyes like peridot. Skin like smooth honey. She really was Adrien Agreste.

Chat Noir was-, no, **_is_ ** Adrien Agreste.

She had been shamelessly flirting with Adrien Agreste the whole time as Ladybug. She had spent all her time as a stuttering mess named Marinette who couldn't even stand 3-feet in his radius without turning into a pile of goo, yet had spent her time as Ladybug scratching his chin and ringing is bell. Ooooooh my _gooooooooo_ -

"Marinette?"

She flinched. Reluctantly, her gaze moved from her acquired face to her original one.

Adrien's eyes were wide and his mouth was gaping. All she saw was his surprise; no disappointment. Yet.

He closed his mouth.  Opened it.  Closed it again.  Opened it once more.

And then a giant smile broke out on his face.

And then her heart rate skyrocketed.

"You're...Marinette?"

When she saw that he had whipped around to look at her, she slowly turned her head to meet his excited face. "Y-yeah..." Marinette laughed nervously, "That's...That's me."  
And then she felt his arms wrap around the middle of her back and his face press against her chest.

"All this time and you were right next to me!" He let out a loud laugh, a sound of pure unadulterated joy. "Well, behind me in class, but...Right there!" Not knowing what to do, she awkwardly lifted her forearms and hugged him back.

 _'Not only is Adrien hugging me,'_ Marinette inwardly shook her head, _'He seems perfectly fine with the idea that Ladybug is Marinette.'_ She opened her mouth and weakly started,  
"Are you-"

_Disappointed?_

Suddenly, Adrien pulled away, his eyes wide and apologetic. His face was as red as a tomato, the flush showing brightly on his pale complexion. He held up his hands defensively. "U-uh! I-I'm...I-I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to just, uh, hug you out of nowhere, I'm s-sure I startled you...Was that rude? I don't know, I can't believe I actually did that, but a-anyway, I'm sorry, I was just so excited-"

"E-e-e-excited?" Marinette sputtered out in surprise. "About what?"

He blinked questioningly before straightening up. Tilting his head innocently, he said straightforwardly through his trademark Adrien Agreste smile:

"That you're Marinette, of course."

At that very moment, Marinette Cheng used every inch of willpower in her face to look at stoic as possible in order to hide how his words had pierced her heart and nearly made her jump out of her skin. She felt flowers blooming in her chest, their roots invading her veins, and the warmth blanketing her whole body. Her eye twitched, a sign that she was about to give in and turn into stuttering, incoherent mess.

But he knew she was Ladybug now, and Ladybug wasn't a stuttering, incoherent fan girl.

So, she inhaled and exhaled (shakily).

"O-oh, I see."   _'_ _Look calm, Marinette. LOOK. CALM.'_

Adrien, on the other hand, was experiencing his own skittishness. Ladybug is Marinette. Marinette is Ladybug. She was, is, and will be as close to him as ever now. As Chat Noir, he could take everything smoothly and comfortably "smooth" talk with Ladybug. But as Adrien, the jumbled mess of his mind was more likely to come out in his words. He no longer knew how to interact with the girl in front of him (whom he did not have much significant, close interaction in the first place, in his opinion), and he figured she was probably feeling the same way.

Adrien and Marinette interacted with a shyness that Ladybug and Chat Noir lacked.

It was strange, because they knew and interacted with their alter egos differently: a more familiar, comfortable manner.

He was close with Marinette as a classmate. He didn't mind encouraging her or helping her when she needed it. She was one of his first friends.

Then he was close with Ladybug as a crime-fighting partner. He didn't mind exclaiming his devotion and affection towards her or jumping into danger for her. She was his hero.

But where do they stand now that the two identities are the same person?

It seemed too awkward to go back to school and behave the way they did as Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"Don't mind her, Adrien. Contrary to how she looks, she's actually very excited too."

Marinette felt her kwami press itself against her cheek, hugging it. "Tikki!" She hissed in embarrassment. "He doesn't need to know that?!" The red figure giggled mischievously and continued teasing,

"You should see her poster collection of you."

Adrien turned to her, wide-eyed.  "Posters of me-"

"Yeah, well, wait 'til you see Adrien's posters of Lady-"

Adrien jumped at the sound of the familiar voice. His hand immediately shot out and grabbed his black kwami, wrapping his fingers around his tiny mouth. "Plagg," He scrambled for a piece of a cheese and shoved it into Plagg's mouth to silence him, "She doesn't need to see that."

"U-uhm...But I'd like to."

The two immediately whipped their heads to look at Marinette, whose hand was shyly raised. "Pfft!" She could no longer hold in her laughter. Adrien's free hand reached up to rub his neck nervously while the other kept a grip on his smirking kwami. His cheeks matched hers in the shade of rosy tint and his own laughter raised to meet hers in volume.

When their chuckling subsided, Marinette gently captured Tikki into her hands and held it out towards him. "This is my Kwami: Tikki." The red Kwami flew up to Adrien's face and giggled.

"Hello!" Tikki cheerfully greeted with a polite bow.

Adrien smiled and released Plagg, who reluctantly floated up in front of Marinette's face. "And this is my Kwami: Plagg." He shrugged sheepishly, "He can be a little...difficult. And he has a hard time functioning without Camembert."

"Ahhh, that's what that smell was. I have to get used to it." Marinette tilted her head at Plagg and grinned. "Oh, you're so cute!" She couldn't help but reach out and scratch his ear.

"Hey, that- Actually feels really good." Plagg closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, his tail curling upwards.

"Wow, you handled him so easily." Adrien mused, amazed that his kwami had been won over by something other than cheese.

"Uhm, excuse me, but," Tikki flew up, wearing an apologetic smile, "Plagg and I have some catching up to do, so we'll join you guys later. Come on, Plagg!" She swooped down and dragged him out of the bathroom as his wails echoed behind them.

...

...

...

"So," They both began at the same time.

"Uhm, you can go first-" They simultaneously said, flustered.

"L-let's go back to my room and talk about it more comfortably on the couch." Adrien offered. "I think it'll be much better than standing around and talking in my bathroom..." Marinette nodded in agreement and silently followed. She took in the familiar surroundings as they made their way back. She remembered being Ladybug, pressing her ear against his door when he had been showering as Adrien.

She blushed and quickly waved the memory away. "This is not the time to be remembering that!" Marinette hissed at herself.

Adrien glanced at her from over his shoulder. "Are you okay? Is something wrong?" She shook her head furiously and threw her hands up,

"Oh no, I'm okay! Totally fine!"

"Okay," He pursed his lips worriedly, "If you say so."

They entered his room, which was now bathed in hues of yellows, oranges, and red. The sky was now dyed with afternoon colors, the violet slowly appearing to take its place. The two took a seat in Adrien's long couch, their view overlooking Paris. Marinette took comfort at the sight of the city, the nervousness that she felt around Adrien slowly melting away. He leaned forward onto his knees.

"...It looks really peaceful." He said, watching the lights inside the apartments begin to flicker on.

"Yeah. It's what we fight to protect." She sighed, a wistful smile on her face. A frown slowly took its place. That might prove difficult now that they were in different bodies. Not only did she have to hide the fact that she was Chat Noir, she had to hide the fact that she wasn't Adrien Agreste. In front of his adoring fans. Marinette could already feel herself breaking into a sweat.

With courage she didn't know she had as Marinette, she whipped her head around to look at him. "So."

He met her straightforward gaze.

Then she began to waver.

"U-uhm." Marinette gulped and began twiddling her fingers, "So, what should we do now? It seems like we're not going to get back to originally bodies anytime soon..." She jokingly added, "You'd think our souls would have left our bodies from the shock of knowing each other's identities and went back to where they belonged..."

"Why?" Adrien smiled, a little tense.  But, he tried to keep his tone light-hearted and teasing.  "Is it so shocking for you that Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir?"

Marinette shot up from the couch, causing him to flinch in surprise. "For me it is! You know why? Cause that meant I have to be Adrien Agreste." She threw her arms up in the air, "Do you know how hard that is?"

He broke out into a fit of laughter, the tension leaving his body and the relief flooding in and warming his heart. "Uh, I think I have an idea of how hard it can get." Adrien said with a hint of playful sarcasm, "Now, why do you think being Adrien Agreste is hard?"

She raised an eyebrow at him and huffed. "Alright, if you can somehow teach me your current proficiency in Chinese, your natural modelling skills, your fencing skills, and how to even play basketball, then maybe, _JUST MAYBE_ it won't be that hard." Marinette was already freaking out, and she knew that was an obvious sign that there was something wrong with the usually calm Adrien that everyone thought was her.

"It's okay, we'll start off easy. Maybe sitting next to each other in class will help?" Adrien offered as he reached up and rubbed her arm comfortingly.

"...Do you think Nino and Alya are really going to sit there quietly when we ask them if we could sit next each other?" Marinette shook her head and groaned at the sudden reminder of another blonde classmate, "And then I can only imagine the things Chloe will say to you-"

"Huh? Why? What's the problem with Nino and Alya?"

Marinette squinted her eyes at him before face palming herself. "...N-Nevermind." Now how does one keep best friends from talking to each other? "Let me borrow my phone for a bit." Adrien patted his pockets and felt the outline of her phone. He took it out and handed it to her, watching her curiously as she began furiously typing with her thumbs.

"What are you doing?" He asked, resisting the urge to peak.

**Marinette: Alya! Can you ask Nino if he's okay with switching seats with me tomorrow?**

**Alya: What??? Girl, when did you suddenly grow a pair and decide to do something so ball-sy?**

Marinette snorted. _'If only she knew.'_

**Marinette: NO, no, it's nothing like that. It's just my vision has gotten pretty bad recently and I can't see the board...And I absolutely need to take notes for that test that's coming up soon!**

**Alya: Yeah, okay, whatever you say~ DW, I gotchu. <3 I'll let him know right now. I'm sure he's willing to be your wingman.**

**Marinette: OMG IT'S NOT LIKE THAT. Ugh. Anyway, thanks Alya, you're the best.**

**Alya: Of course I am! ;)**

And with that, she closed the conversation and handed her phone back to Adrien.

"I think...that'll save us from immediately interacting with Nino and Alya for a while. At least when the time comes, we'll be a bit more ready to talk to them...Alya has a keen sense for these kinds of things." Marinette could already picture the skeptical, raised eyebrow. "She'll know something is off for sure if she hasn't already. And I'm sure she has."  
She sighed exasperatedly, falling onto the couch and leaning her head back to look at the high ceiling. _'Might as well get used to this view now since I'm going to be living in it until who knows when.'_ Her eyes wandered around, silently starting to make comparisons to her own room back at the baker.

Adrien looked at her, eyebrows scrunched together in worry when he watched another sigh escape her lips. He couldn't help but reach out and squeeze her shoulder comfortingly. When she flinched in surprise and turned to meet his gaze, he smiled and murmured, "Hey, don't worry. I'll be with you the whole time until we're back to normal, alright?"

When he had opened his eyes and saw his jade eyes, wide and anxious, staring back at him, he knew he was going to stay by her side from that point on.

It was the first time he had seen Ladybug so vulnerable, so distressed, that he realized he was no longer going to see Ladybug but the her behind the mask.

Marinette, who was an enigma on her own.

Sure, as Chat Noir, he would've jumped at the opportunity to know Ladybug's identity and would've glued himself to her side as much as he could from that point on. But that little bit of selfishness was completely washed away and replaced with the need to comfort and reassure her. Watching the girl that he only saw as courageous and fearless start to falter only strengthened his resolve. He was so focused on her that he wasn't even bothered about having to be a girl until who knows when. He had spent this whole time supporting Ladybug as Chat Noir,

and now he had the opportunity as Adrien.

Marinette stared at him for what felt like forever. He started to sweat nervously under her gaze and was about to quickly change the topic when she smiled and giggled sheepishly,  "I don't...I don't get too many days off to catch up, do I..."

Adrien threw his head back in laughter. "No, I'm sorry..." The image of his dad and Nathalie had him shaking his head, "Adrien Agreste doesn't really know the concept of relaxing."

"Uh, I think I have an idea..." Marinette coughed, making a mental note to hide her presentation of his schedule next time she would be able to drop by her room. Then she blinked at that sudden realization.

"So...So even with all that, you still had the energy to be Chat Noir?"

"Of course." Adrien exclaimed without missing a beat (though he missed the subtle slip that she knew what his schedule even was). "It was worth it."

"Why?"

 

Why indeed.

On the other hand, he couldn't remember a time where he looked forward to seeing someone like he looked forward to seeing Ladybug.

 

He grinned, a trace of Chat Noir and a touch of mysteriousness in his pearly whites.

"Curiosity killed the cat, my lady." Adrien crossed his arms behind his head, leaning back to look at her whole. Marinette blushed at his perusing, his eyes taking in every detail of her face. He hummed thoughtfully and added, "But satisfaction brought it back."

She tilted her head questioningly. "Huh?"

His smile only widened as he stood up and extended his hands towards her. "It's nothing." He helped her up, his grip still tight on her hand. "Just know that everything made it worth it."

Marinette reluctantly nodded.

"Ahem, anyway," Adrien flushed and dropped her hand, causing her to blush at the sudden awareness that he had been holding it this whole time. He cleared his throat and continued, "I'd show you around but I think it's time for me to get home before your parents worry about you." He motioned his head towards the window, in which the violet night was already taking over the sky.

"Y-yeah, you're right, thanks." She motioned to the cell that was still in his hand and quickly showed him how to open the lock. "I think it's better if you kept my phone for now. And as much as I, y-you know, respect your privacy, I think I should keep yours." Marinette laughed awkwardly, reaching into her back pocket for his cell. "...Unless, you want your friends to throw a fit when they hear a girl answering your phone."

"Well, that would be amusing to watch." Adrien chuckled, gripping her cell. "But, I really don't have calls with anyone. And any business-related calls are handled by Nathalie." He shrugged and murmured, "Even texting is really only Nino and Alya, and that's if I have time. Anyway, this is how you open my phone..."

After everything was said and done, Marinette stared at him for a couple moments before holding up his phone.

"You have my number, right?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, I don't think so."

Her phone vibrated in his hand and he saw her text message on the screen.

**Adrien: Hello!**

When he looked back up, he saw her smiling brightly at him.  "I got your number from Alya before, but I never really had a reason or chance to message you."  She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and began to ramble, "You remember where I live, right? Just uhm...Just text me back when you get home! O-oh, and you can change your name to mine so it's not confusing for you. It's not like anyone else will be looking at our phones besides us."

After a minute from recovering from the pleasant surprise, he met her smile (which immediately stopped her babbling) and nodded. Excitement was starting to thrum in his chest at the thought of texting Marinette; not only that, he had a way to communicate with Ladybug whenever he wanted. He chuckled. "Okay."

"Oh, uhm, b-by the way, can I ask you something?"

He caught the curious glint in her eye, but also saw the worry that slowly seemed to be showing on her face. "Marinette, you can ask me anything." Marinette took in a deep breath and nodded.

"Are you and Alya really close? C-cause if you are, what should I do if she texts? Should I-"

Adrien's eyes widened. "O-Oh no, i-i-it's not what you think, it's more like-"

"As the owner of Ladyblog, she's got the latest information on you when he's not around you."

"Plagg!" Adrien groaned as his kwami flew back into the room, the smirk still on his face. Marinette gritted her teeth to hide in the squeal and clenched her fists to keep herself from jumping up and down in happiness. She felt Tikki nudge her and heard the tiny giggle. He paused as realization passed over his face.

"Wow," He rubbed his chin, "Imagine if the Ladyblogger knew THE Ladybug was her best friend..." He tilted his head thoughtfully and began snickering, "Oh, the irony." Marinette joined in his chortling,

"That wouldn't be as fun to watch."

"And those interviews?"

She smiled wistfully. "Anything for a friend." Then, she furiously shook her head and began pushing him towards the bathroom. "Anyway, you have to get going! Remember to text me when you get home!" Marinette felt the steam come out of her ears the minute the phrase left her mouth. _'Oh no, I sound like a girlfriend.'_

Adrien pouted, reminscent of Chat Noir, "Alright, alright." He turned to Plagg, who was floating nearby with his arms crossed. "Don't miss me too much, okay?" Plagg rolled his eyes, huffing under his breath, "Whatever."

Marinette nuzzled Tikki, patting her head with a finger. "Take care of Adrien, okay, Tikki?" The red kwami smiled and saluted, "Leave it to me!"  
"Transform!"

Marinette watched the pink glow envelope him, leaving Ladybug in its place. He jumped onto the window ledge with a feline grace and crouched down, causing her to laugh. "Remember, you're Ladybug. Not Chat Noir." Chat blinked before laughing sheepishly.

"Oh, yeah. Right." He pulled out his yo-yo and began swinging it in his dominant hand. With a wink and a two-finger salute with his free hand, he bid "Bonne soirée, my lady~" And flew up into the night sky.

Marinette stared at the spotted back until it disappeared out of sight. Once he was gone, she felt all the tension return to her neck and shoulders, the comprehension of the situation and the reality that had changed finally resting on her back. _'Adrien is really Chat Noir?'_    The juxtaposition of Chat Noir and Adrien in her mind made her pinch the bridge of her nose. _'Who would've thought.'_

 _"My lady."_ She pictured Adrien, lifting her hand to his lips.

_"Can I spend all 9 of my lives with you?"_

Marinette choked on her spit from the laughter that erupted, holding her sides while her knees buckled. "Ah, for real, who would've thought?" No way would Adrien say something like that. With that kind of comparison, there was no way she would have thought Adrien was Chat Noir. She wiped a tear away, tiny giggles still escaping her in intervals.

"Ouf, I need to use the bathroom."

 

\---

 

"I'm glad you got home fast enough that Marinette's parents didn't punish you, but" Tikki was sitting snugly on his shoulder and swinging her legs, "you don't have to text Marinette right away! I'm sure she-"

"Tikki, what should I text back?" Adrien looked up at her and then back at his phone. The text was open and his thumbs were ready to type a response, but his brain was overloaded with all the imagined scenarios. Tikki giggled and flew down onto the desk, hovering near his hands.

"I believe saying _'hello'_ back would be polite." She tilted her head at him, clearly amused by his state of fluster. She could feel the same waves of excitement and confusion radiating from him the same way they did from Marinette, except he was better at hiding it. If it was her real Miraculous owner, she'd run and roll around until she finally had the courage to peak at the phone from 5 feet away while nervously biting her nails. Adrien probably looked completely fine if you saw him from the back.

"Yeah, but...This is my first text to Ladybug...To Marinette! It shouldn't just be hello-"

Adrien felt his skeleton nearly jump out of his skin when the cute ringtone went off, nearly dropping the cell. "O-oh no, who could it be? Shoulld I answer?" Tikki gasped and waved when she saw Adrien's portrait flashing on the screen.

"It's Marinette! Answer it! Maybe she's in trouble!'

He already slid his finger across the screen to answer once Tikki had cried out that it was Marinette. "Hello, Marinette? Are you alright-"

**_"ADRIEN, HOW DO I USE THE BATHROOM?!"_ **

...

...

...

Adrien turned a bright, cherry tomato red, rested his chin on the desk, and hid his head underneath his forearm. From the look on Tikki's face, he guessed that she had no idea what her Miraculous holder had just screamed. "It's okay, Marinette, I'm...I-I'm perfectly okay with y-y-y-you l-looking at my...m-my body." He heard a gasp come from the red blur in the corner of his eye.

 _ **"N-N-n-n-n-n-n-nononono NO I canNOT do that!"**_   She wailed. Now this was the Marinette he was a familiar with. _**"I know too much...I've s-s-s-s-seen too much, I can't do this, I'll just do it without looking!"**_

He felt a little bad for having to break her resolve. "Marinette..."

_**"...U-uh-huh?"** _

"...You're gonna have to look at it if you don't wanna leave a mess."

_**"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"** _

Adrien held the phone out to save his eardrum as well as keep her from hearing him chuckling. When her cry stopped, he put the cell back to his ear. "Marinette?"

_**"...I just have to...grab it and aim right."** _

The Agreste lost his composure as quick as he managed to regain it.  This was the first time he had to 'teach' someone how to pee, and specifically in his own body (which was weird, awkward, embarrassing and not the kind of first experience he wanted to share with Marinette).  He didn't know whether to laugh or groan in embarrassment, but he felt the laughter ready to burst forth from within his chest.

"Ye...yeah..."

_**"...u-um....en...."** _

He subconsciously leaned forward, as if it would help him hear her better. "I'm sorry? You're a little low..."

_**"...g-g-good luck with my b-b-b-body, Adrien, if you ac-accidentally look, I-I-I think I'm better off not knowing, I'm going to die in embarassment, I'm already going to die from- Oh my gOD I HAVE TO SHOWER NEXT AHHHH-"** _

**Click.**

And she hung up.

Adrien slammed his forehead onto Marinette's desk and then lifted his head just enough to bury his face into his hands. That's right.

"Adrien, are you okay? Your ears are so red!" Tikki asked, sitting in front of him on the desk and trying to peak at his face, "Is Marinette okay?"

"N-no- I-I mean yeah...and yeah, she is but she's also...yeah, no. N-no, we're not okay."

 

\---

 

Adrien walked back into the bedroom, shutting the door with his foot. As he made his way in, he was trying his hair off with a towel. His whole body felt feverish, whether it was from the warm shower or from the...

He shook his head and derailed the train of thought before it could make its way towards a dangerous destination. This was his lady he was thinking about.

Adrien stared at his new accommodation, a bright, cheerful contrast to the cool tones he was used to. A little smile sneaked its way onto his face at the site of the large, cat pillow sitting at the head of the bed that he was climbing up towards. He flopped down onto the mattress and linked his fingers behind his head.

The feel of the plush comforter beneath his back made him sigh in relief, his shoulders releasing its held in tension.

"It's unlucky that tomorrow happens to be Monday, huh." Tikki commented with a frown as she flew in front of Adrien's face.

"It would have been nice to have the weekend to ease into everything." He smiled, feeling a bit bittersweet.  "But it'd be nicer if we could wake up and have everything back to normal." Adrien closed his eyes, sighing once more as he lifted the comforter up to his chin. "But that would take a miracle, and I'm all out of luck right now." He reached a hand up and touched his earrings.

"It's okay, Adrien. It'll get better tomorrow, I'm sure of it!" The polka-dotted kwami piped up and settled herself on the space next to his cheek.

"...Yeah, you're right-"

**Bzzt. Bzzt.**

The teen quickly pulled the phone from the other side of his bed and squinted at the screen.

**Marinette: Is everything alright?**

Adrien shot up, his fingers trembling so much that he nearly dropped his phone. "U-uh, uh, what should I say?"

She floated to the screen and patted his knuckles comfortingly. "Relax, Adrien! You can say anything, even the most absurd thing, and I'm sure Marinette would accept it." He groaned in frustration as he opened up the message.

"Yeah, but I...I don't know how to talk to her anymore. As Adrien? As Chat Noir?" The blonde ran a hand down her face. Tikki frowned and made her way to his eyes so that they were making eye contact.

"Talk to her as how YOU truly want to." She smiled brightly, "If it makes you feel better, I'm sure she's freaking out just as much on her side."

"R-really? You think so?"

"I know so."

Adrien inhaled deeply and mustered up all his courage in his finger joints to begin typing a response.

**Adrien: Yes**

He nearly gave knocked himself out from his facepalm when he accidentally pressed the send button without even really beginning his message. He heard the kwami cheer from the side, "You can keep typing, Adrien!"

**Adrien: Everything is good. I was just about to head to sleep. You should, too.**

He stared at the message, not quite ready to send it yet. Texting a friend was one thing. Adrien wasn't very experienced in that area since he barely had friends to message in the first place. He had started to get used to it with Nino, but with Marinette, he felt like he was sending an important, formal message to the president of France or something.  The thought made his palms a bit sweaty from anxiety.

But this wasn't just Marinette, who was a friend that he should be able to talk to without too much politeness, but this was Ladybug, whom he was the most relaxed with and with whom he wasn't afraid to say whatever he wanted, even if it was the most embarrassing pick-up line in the book.

The blonde began to edit his message and then sent it.

**Adrien: Everything is good! I was just about to head to sleep. I hope you are, too, after a hectic day like today. :)**

He gulped as he watched the "..." appear on the screen.

**Marinette: That's great! Yeah, it feels good to finally be in bed. This one's kinda big, tho...At least I don't have to worry about falling off.**

Adrien chuckled.

**Adrien: Make yourself at home, okay? What's mine is yours, so feel free to use anything you want there.**

**Marinette: Thank you so much, Adrien. Same to you! And feel free to eat as much of my dad's baked goods as you want, just try not to get me too fat...LOL**

Adrien was about to type a compliment when she continued,

**Marinette: Btw, you did the assignment for tomorrow, right? Do you want me to print it out for you?**

**Adrien: Don't worry, my backpack is already ready for tomorrow. :) What about you, is there anything you need me to do?**

**Marinette: Oh, I printed it already, too! I think it's on my folder on my desk, soooo just remember to put the folder in my backpack. I think that's on my chair. :3**

**Adrien: Okay, I gotcha.**

**Marinette: So uhm. Is it alright for me to log onto your computer since I don't think I'll be able to do my assignments at my house anymore?**

**Adrien: Yeah ofc!**

He paused. The first blaring warning that appeared in his mind was his homepage: the Ladyblog. As well as the hundreds of links to news articles about Ladybug. And the thousands of pictures of her. He felt his face heating up again.

**Adrien: Let me just drop by after school tomorrow to set up the computer for you.**

**Marinette: Yeah that's fine! I need to drop by room tomorrow anyway, too.**

**Adrien: Alright then, so we'll meet before class starts in front of the school?**

**Marinette: Yup! And sitting next to each other in class...Thinking about it now, maybe it's not a good idea...**

Adrien frowned, his heart squeezing at the thought that she might not want to sit next to him. Even though he loved Nino and thought of him as a best friend and brother, he'd get to sit next to the girl he's admired and crushed on since essentially the day they met. Sure, he's fought beside her, but for some reason, this felt more intimate. Now, they both knew each other's secret, one they shared, one that no one else in the world knew besides them.

The dynamic of their relationship had changed, albeit slightly.

But if he steered it in the right direction, maybe

just maybe...

Ladybug had always curbed his advances as Chat Noir with teasing remarks and would coyly slip out of his grasp. As Marinette, he hadn't really paid attention to how she interacted with Chat Noir and Adrien. He remembered wrapping his arm around her waist and suavely pulling her against him when they were up against the Evillustrator, to which she used a single finger to push his face away and make him focus back on the battle. Now that he thought about it, it was a very Ladybug way to react towards Chat Noir.

But towards Adrien? Marinette was very shy and meek, and usually quite flustered.

Maybe she was too uncomfortable to sit beside him? His heart sank a bit.

"Well," He reasoned, "I wouldn't have been able to pay attention during class anyway." Adrien could already picture himself, high tension, constantly glancing over at Marinette. Curious as to her reason why and hopeful to soothe his aching heart, he mustered up his courage once more to ask:

**Adrien: Why? :o**

**Marinette: I think we'd get too much attention if we do...**

Confusion crossed his features.

**Adrien: Attention? From who? Who cares about whether or not we sit next to each other? :O**

**Marinette: Oh, I could name a few...**

Adrien pursed his lips and scratched his scalp. He honestly wondered (as humble and unknowing as he sometimes tended to be) who would care in their class. It wasn't that big of a deal, especially if he went with her original plan and just said he had trouble seeing the board. But he supposed it would be pretty suspicious if people saw them walk them into school together the morning of.

 _'People would definitely think we're **dating**!'_ He groaned, coming out muffled against the cat pillow he buried his face in.

Personally, he did not mind being mistaken as "Marinette's boyfriend". Or in this case, as his own girlfriend.  And though his father was strict about other aspects of his life, maybe he wouldn't be so strict about having a girlfriend?

Hopefully.

But maybe Marinette cared about being mistaken as "Adrien's boyfriend". Maybe she didn't want to be associated with Adrien like that. Maybe she didn't want to be under the spotlight, which she would be expected to have if she dated Gabriel Agreste's model son. She clearly got enough of it as Ladybug, and if she had anymore eyes on her when she was Marinette, it would make managing both lives even more difficult. She had wanted to keep their lives as heroes and their lives as civilians completely separately, and the only reason they were intertwined now was because there was no helping it.  Not only would they have to deal with trying to act normal as each other, they would have to deal with the scrutiny of people speculating their relationship.

And the last thing he wanted to be was a burden to her.

Adrien was about to be completely consumed by his thoughts when a vibration brought him back to reality.

**Marinette: Well, nevermind, it's okay. I think I'll feel better with you by my side. I don't think I'll be able to deal with Nino by myself without looking suspicious. >.<**

His eyes widened. He tossed and turned in excitement, his squealing causing Tikki to look at him curiously.

"Marinette?"

Adrien froze and laughed shyly. He cleared his throat and regained his composure before answering. "Sorry, Tikki, it's still Adrien."

Ah, that one sentence KO'd him.

Thank goodness for technology. Now he could look at that text whenever he felt sad.

**Adrien: Same to you, Bugaboo. ;3 I know I feel better with you by my side.**

Before he realized it, his inner Chat Noir came out. And before he could send a text to smoothly cover it up, she replied:

**Marinette: So then I guess you must feel great since you're in my body now, huh, Chaton**

...

...

...

**Marinette: WAIT, I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!!!111**

**Adrien: ;3c oh my lady~**

**Marinette: CHAT!!!!!1!!!**

**Adrien: I'm going to screenshot this, print it, and frame it on my wall.**

**Marinette: NOOOOOOO!**

Adrien smiled, comforted at the thought that at least as Chat Noir, she was still able to be just as playful back. _'Though,'_ His mischievous grin widened, _'It's cute that as Marinette, she's not as smooth in her kittenish remarks.'_   It was refreshing to picture his confident heroine flustered and panicky over a text message.

How about face-to-face?

**Marinette: Please forget that.**

**Adrien: Too late, I've already imprinted it into my long term memory. :)**

**Marinette: GOOD NIGHT.**

**Adrien: Sweet dreams~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was so hard. Writing their interactions is so hard. Because they are close but at the same time they're not. LOL. I'll try my best, I'm sorry if it comes out weird. :c And I know I kinda rushed by the bathing part, but I didn't know how to fit it with the rating as well as how it would be weird to address in this situation. Maybe I'll make an extra chapter as to how they individually reacted if the demand is high enough.
> 
> And I know it was supposed to be a slow burn but it's so HARD I WROTE TOO MUCH AHHHHHH I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO STOP I'm tired, it was 3AM when I finished so the ending is a bit rushed, I think i should stop now...I'll probably slow it down and make the chapters a bit shorter...


End file.
